1. Field
The present invention relates to a portable keyboard. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for enhanced portability with a simple configuration.
2. Background
Recently, as mobile terminals including smart phones, tablet PC and the like are globally spread, many ongoing efforts are made to the research and development of a portable keyboard as an input device of a mobile terminal.
FIG. 1A is a layout and a perspective diagram of a folder type keyboard 10 according to a related art and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a folded folder type keyboard 10 according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a folder type keyboard 10 according to a related art consists of 5 bodies including a 1st body 1a, a 2nd body 1b, a 3rd body 1c, a 4th body 1d and a 5th body 1e. In this case, the 1st to 5th bodies 1a to 1e are separated from each other in vertical direction and connected to one another via hinges 2. And, a plurality of keys 3 are provided to each of the bodies. In particular, the folder type keyboard 10 according to the related art is configured to be carried in a manner that the 1st and 2nd bodies 1a and 1b and the 4th and fifth bodies 1d and 1e can be folded toward the 3rd body 1c by being connected to left and right sides of the 3rd body 1c via the hinges 2, respectively. Therefore, the folder type keyboard 10 can be carried in a shape similar to that of a book.
However, since the bodies of the related art folder type keyboard are separated from each other in the vertical direction, a hinge shaft configured to connect the separated bodies should zigzag to fit for the key arrangement shown in FIG. 1A, whereby a structure of the connecting part is inevitably complicated. And, as the hinge shaft has the zigzag configuration, when the folder type keyboard is folded to be carried, an exterior of the folded folder type keyboard is not elegant. Moreover, since a volume of the folder type keyboard in a folded state is similar to that of a normal book, the folder type keyboard has difficulty and/or inconvenience in portability and storage.
FIG. 2A is a perspective diagram of a portable keyboard 20 according to a related art and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram of a rolled-up portable keyboard 20 according to a related art.
Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, a portable keyboard 20 according to a related art consists of a body 21 formed of a flexible material (e.g., silicon) and a plurality of keys 22 built in one body of the body 21. Since the related art portable keyboard 20 is formed of silicon, it can be carried in a manner of being rolled up, as shown in FIG. 2B, thereby facilitating portability.
However, since the above-described portable keyboard 20 according to the related art includes the keys formed of silicon as well, when a user presses one of the keys, the pressed key fails to provide the user with a good sense or a good key recognition rate. Therefore, when a user uses the related art key board, it may be highly probable that a typographical error rate increases.